When President Biden announced his decision to drop his campaign for a second term, everything we thought we knew about the 2024 election was turned on its ear. The questions, the speculation, and the theories all began to swirl. In this episode of WashingtonWise, host Mike Townsend clears up the rules surrounding a change of candidates, discusses what it means for the Democratic convention, and addresses how it impacts the ballots. He also answers investors' questions about what the upheaval in the race means for congressional elections and for the markets.

Mike also checks in on other news from Washington, including congressional hearings underway to identify the breakdown in security that allowed the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump and address ways to prevent any recurrence; a bi-partisan agreement to ban elected officials from trading stocks; and the long-delayed finalization of IRS rules pertaining to inherited IRAs.

WashingtonWise is an original podcast for investors from Charles Schwab. For more on the series, visit Schwab.com/WashingtonWise.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a ★★★★★ rating or review on Apple Podcasts.

Important Disclosures

Investors should consider carefully information contained in the prospectus, or if available, the summary prospectus, including investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. You can request a prospectus by calling 800-435-4000. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

The policy analysis provided by the Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., does not constitute and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any political party.

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice. The investment strategies mentioned here may not be suitable for everyone. Each investor needs to review an investment strategy for his or her own particular situation before making any investment decision.

All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice in reaction to shifting market conditions. Data contained herein from third-party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed.

Examples provided are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve.

Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.

The information and content provided herein is general in nature and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended, and should not be construed, as a specific recommendation, individualized tax, legal, or investment advice. Tax laws are subject to change, either prospectively or retroactively. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, individuals should contact their own professional tax and investment advisors or other professionals (CPA, Financial Planner, Investment Manager) to help answer questions about specific situations or needs prior to taking any action based upon this information.

Performance may be affected by risks associated with non-diversification, including investments in specific countries or sectors. Additional risks may also include, but are not limited to, investments in foreign securities, especially emerging markets, real estate investment trusts (REITs), fixed income, municipal securities including state specific municipal securities, small capitalization securities and commodities. Each individual investor should consider these risks carefully before investing in a particular security or strategy.

Digital currencies [such as bitcoin] are highly volatile and not backed by any central bank or government. Digital currencies lack many of the regulations and consumer protections that legal-tender currencies and regulated securities have. Due to the high level of risk, investors should view digital currencies as a purely speculative instrument.

Apple, the Apple logo, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Podcasts are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

Spotify and the Spotify logo are registered trademarks of Spotify AB.

(0724-FN7H)

When it comes to cutting interest rates, the Federal Reserve seems determined to stick with its plan to take it slowly and let the data guide their decisions. But what data are they looking at, and what is it telling them? And what cues does the data have for investors? On this episode, host Mike Townsend and Kevin Gordon, director and senior investment strategist with the Schwab Center for Financial Research, sort through inflation numbers, consumer confidence data, the latest jobs report, and more to explain what's important to the Fed. Kevin also looks back at the markets' strong first half of the year and what the underlying data may signal for the second half of 2024. And he provides his perspective on why investors feel anxious about the market even amidst strong performance.

Mike also provides the latest from Washington, including a Supreme Court decision that could have far-reaching implications for companies and the markets and a setback for bipartisan privacy legislation. And Mike shares insights on the process should a presidential nominee choose not to run.

WashingtonWise is an original podcast for investors from Charles Schwab. For more on the series, visit Schwab.com/WashingtonWise.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a ★★★★★ rating or review on Apple Podcasts

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES

The policy analysis provided by the Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., does not constitute and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any political party.

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice. All expressions of opinion are subject to changes without notice in reaction to shifting market, economic, and geopolitical conditions. Data herein is obtained from what are considered reliable sources; however, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed. Supporting documentation for any claims or statistical information is available upon request.

Examples provided are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve.

Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.

All names and market data shown above are for illustrative purposes only and are not a recommendation, offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Supporting documentation for any claims or statistical information is available upon request.

The information and content provided herein is general in nature and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended, and should not be construed, as a specific recommendation, individualized tax, legal, or investment advice. Tax laws are subject to change, either prospectively or retroactively. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, individuals should contact their own professional tax and investment advisors or other professionals (CPA, Financial Planner, Investment Manager) to help answer questions about specific situations or needs prior to taking any action based upon this information.

​Diversification and asset allocation strategies do not ensure a profit and cannot protect against losses in a declining market.

Schwab does not recommend the use of technical analysis as a sole means of investment research.

Performance may be affected by risks associated with non-diversification, including investments in specific countries or sectors. Additional risks may also include, but are not limited to, investments in foreign securities, especially emerging markets, real estate investment trusts (REITs), fixed income, small capitalization securities and commodities. Each individual investor should consider these risks carefully before investing in a particular security or strategy.

Forecasts contained herein are for illustrative purposes only, may be based upon proprietary research and are developed through analysis of historical public data.

Indexes are unmanaged, do not incur management fees, costs, and expenses and cannot be invested in directly. For more information on indexes, please see Schwab.com/IndexDefinitions.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance.

The Schwab Center for Financial Research is a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

0724-CGWU

There has been a flurry of geopolitical developments in recent weeks, from Congress passing a massive foreign aid bill to Cabinet members visiting China to India's elections. But the one that has grabbed the most attention―at least among your kids―is the potential banning of Chinese-owned TikTok. Jeff Kleintop, Schwab's chief global investment strategist, joins host Mike Townsend to discuss the implications of these developments for investors and to answer the question of whether TikTok really could be banned. Jeff also explores whether aid to Ukraine could change the course of its war with Russia, whether China's flooding of global markets with goods could impact U.S. inflation, and how shipping challenges are affecting the delivery of goods around the world. He weighs in on India's massive growth and shares his thoughts on how investors can take advantage of potential global opportunities.

In his Washington update, Mike discusses the politics around the foreign aid bill and why the congressional legislative agenda is looking thin in the months ahead. He also provides perspective on next year's looming battle over tax reform and shares news of a recent IRS decision that directly impacts anyone who has recently inherited an IRA.

WashingtonWise is an original podcast for investors from Charles Schwab. For more on the series, visit schwab.com/WashingtonWise.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a ★★★★★ rating or review on Apple Podcasts

Important Disclosures

The policy analysis provided by the Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., does not constitute and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any political party.

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice. All expressions of opinion are subject to changes without notice in reaction to shifting market, economic, and geopolitical conditions. Data herein is obtained from what are considered reliable sources; however, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed. Supporting documentation for any claims or statistical information is available upon request.

Examples provided are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance.

Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.

International investments involve additional risks, which include differences in financial accounting standards, currency fluctuations, geopolitical risk, foreign taxes and regulations, and the potential for illiquid markets. Investing in emerging markets may accentuate these risks.

Commodity-related products carry a high level of risk and are not suitable for all investors. Commodity-related products may be extremely volatile, may be illiquid, and can be significantly affected by underlying commodity prices, world events, import controls, worldwide competition, government regulations, and economic conditions.

Digital currencies [such as bitcoin] are highly volatile and not backed by any central bank or government. Digital currencies lack many of the regulations and consumer protections that legal-tender currencies and regulated securities have. Due to the high level of risk, investors should view digital currencies as a purely speculative instrument.

Small cap investments are subject to greater volatility than those in other asset categories.

Currency trading is speculative, volatile and not suitable for all investors.

Diversification and asset allocation strategies do not ensure a profit and do not protect against losses in declining markets.

Rebalancing does not protect against losses or guarantee that an investor’s goal will be met.

All names and market data shown above are for illustrative purposes only and are not a recommendation, offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Supporting documentation for any claims or statistical information is available upon request.

​This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal, or investment planning advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, you should consult with a qualified tax advisor, CPA, Financial Planner, or Investment Manager.

Forecasts contained herein are for illustrative purposes only, may be based upon proprietary research and are developed through analysis of historical public data.

(0524-003A)